fray
English
/fɹeɪ/
verb
Definitions
- (ambitransitive) To (cause to) unravel; used particularly for the edge of something made of cloth, or the end of a rope.
- (intransitive) To cause exhaustion, wear out (a person's mental strength).
- (transitive) frighten; alarm
- (transitive) To bear the expense of; to defray.
- (intransitive) To rub.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English fraien derived from Old French frayer derived from Latin fricāre.
Origin
Latin
fricāre
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- antifray English
- boggard English
- frayboggard English
- frayproof English
- make English
- make-fray English
- fricativus Latin
- fricāre Latin
- fregare Italian
- fregar Spanish, Castilian
- fregotear Spanish, Castilian
- fregón Spanish, Castilian
- friegaplatos Spanish, Castilian
- esfregar Portuguese
- fraien Middle English
- frayer Old French
- freier Old French
- fregar Galician
- freca Romanian, Moldavian, Moldovan
- ffrae Welsh
- ffraegar Welsh
- ffraeo Welsh
- fërkoj Albanian
- freâ Friulian
- frega Papiamentu